Head protector

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a head protector. The head protector includes: a pair of fastening straps (100) configured to be attached to the outer surface of one side of headgear (10); and a protective panel (200) configured such that it is seated to cover the outer surface of the one side of the headgear (10) and such that a central part thereof is spaced apart from the outer surface of the headgear (10), and provided with a pair of fastening holes (202) through which the pair of fastening straps (100) pass. The pair of fastening straps (100) pass through the pair of fastening holes (202) and are fastened to each other so that the protective panel (200) is fastened to the outer surface of the one side of the headgear (10).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Utility Model Registration Application No. 20-2018-0003873 filed on Aug. 20, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a head protector that is detachably attached to headgear and functions to protect the head of a user, and more specifically to a head protector that is light in weight and has an aesthetic appearance, thereby providing improved utilization.

2. Description of the Related Art

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game that is played between two teams, each including nine players, which alternately perform offense and defense. In offense, a batter attempts to obtain a score by hitting a ball, drawn by a pitcher, with a bat and then running through a series of four bases, i.e., a first base, a second base, a third base, and a home plate, in a counterclockwise direction. When a player sequentially moves to the bases and returns to the home plate, a score is awarded.

Outfielders wear gloves to catch batted balls, and typically wear brim caps as parts of their uniforms. In this case, hit balls, i.e., batted balls, usually have very high speed. Accordingly, a problem occurs that when a batted ball hits the head of an outfielder, a serious injury may be caused.

It will be apparent that in order to protect the head of a batter from balls drawn by a pitcher, helmets for a batter are being used in various forms. However, a problem occurs in that it is difficult to perform defense while wearing such a helmet for a batter.

In order to overcome this problem, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2017-0127488 has proposed headgear for protecting the head of an outfielder. However, this conventional headgear is disadvantageous in that it is not suitable for an outfielder requiring rapid movement because it is heavy and provides poor wearing sensation. In addition, a padding-type protector for improving wearing sensation has been manufactured. However, this padding-type protector is also problematic in that it is uncomfortable to wear due to its heavy weight and in that players do not use it because the appearance thereof is not aesthetic due to its excessive thickness.

Furthermore, the head protectors proposed up to now are disadvantageous in that the utilization and economic efficiency thereof are poor because they do not use existing headgear.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been conceived to overcome the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a head protector which provides desirable wearing sensation and is detachably worn on existing headgear, thereby providing economic efficiency, and which is light in weight and has an aesthetic appearance, thereby providing improved utilization.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a head protector, including:

a pair of fastening straps configured to be attached to the outer surface of one side of headgear; and

a protective panel configured such that it is seated to cover the outer surface of the one side of the headgear and such that a central part thereof is spaced apart from the outer surface of the headgear, and provided with a pair of fastening holes through which the pair of fastening straps pass;

wherein the pair of fastening straps pass through the pair of fastening holes and are fastened to each other so that the protective panel is fastened to the outer surface of the one side of the headgear.

The protective panel may include:

an elastic pad made of compressed Styrofoam, and configured such that it covers the outer surface of the one side of the headgear and such that the central part thereof is spaced apart from the outer surface of the headgear; and

an outer cover made of synthetic resin having a hardness equal to or higher than a preset reference value, and configured to be coupled to cover the outer surface of the elastic pad.

The protective panel may include a plurality of spacers that are inserted between the elastic pad and the outer cover; and

the outer cover may be coupled to be spaced apart from the outer surface of the elastic pad.

The outer cover may be formed in a plate shape in which a plurality of corrugations is arranged in a zigzag pattern; and

the internal angle of the corrugations may be set within the range of 120 to 150°.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the head protector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the head protector according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the head protector according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the head protector according to the present invention.

The head protector according to the present invention is designed to be mounted on headgear made of soft material, such as a baseball cap or the like, and to protect the head of a user. The head protector is characterized in configuration that it is lightweight, has an aesthetic appearance, and may be detachably mounted on common headgear. In other words, the head protector according to the present invention includes: a pair of fastening straps 100 configured to be attached to the outer surface of one side of headgear 10; and a protective panel 200 configured to be seated and cover the outer surface of the one side of the headgear 10, and configured to have a pair of fastening holes 202 through which the pair of fastening straps 100 pass. The pair of fastening straps 100 pass through the pair of fastening holes 202 and are fastened to each other so that the protective panel 200 is fastened to the outer surface of the one side of the headgear 10.

The protective panel 200 is made of polyester synthetic resin used in a baseball guard, such as a catcher protector, and has a weight of about 30 g, which is considerably light in weight. Accordingly, even when the head protector according to the present invention is additionally mounted, a wearer feels as if he or she worn only the conventional headgear 10. Accordingly, the protective panel 200 provides desirable wearing sensation like common headgear, and thus provides improved utilization.

Furthermore, the conventional head protector is installed throughout overall headgear, and thus a disadvantage arises in that the overall shape thereof is very ridiculous. In contrast, the head protector according to the present invention is mounted only on the portion of a pitcher (the right side of the head of a right-handed pitcher or the left side of the head of a left-handed pitcher) that is exposed to a batted ball after the pitcher has performed a pitching operation, and thus an advantage arises in that the appearance thereof is aesthetic.

The protective panel 200 is formed such that the overall bottom surface thereof does not come into close contact with the outer surface of the cap 10 but part of the bottom surface is spaced apart from the outer surface of the cap 10. Accordingly, even when a batted ball hits the center of the protective panel 200, there may be achieved the effect in which the amount of impact force transmitted to the head of a user is remarkably reduced.

In other words, the head protector according to the present invention is advantageous in that a baseball player may use it without any burden because it is light in weight and has an aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, the head protector according to the present invention is advantageous in that it has high economic efficiency because the conventional hat 10 may be utilized without requiring a special hat 10.

In this case, although only a case where the head protector is mounted on the right portion (on the left portion in FIG. 4) of the headgear 10 is illustrated in the present embodiment, the head protector according to the present invention may be mounted on the left portion of the headgear 10 according to the selection of a user. For example, when a user is a right-handed pitcher, the right side of the head of the user is directed toward a batter after pitching, and thus there is considerable concern that a batted ball hits the right side of the head the user. Accordingly, when the head protector according to the present invention is mounted on the headgear 10 of a right-handed pitcher, the head protector is preferably mounted on the right portion of the headgear 10. In contrast, when a user is a left-handed pitcher, the left side of the head of the user is directed toward a batter after pitching, and thus there is considerable concern that a batted ball hits the right side of the head the user. Accordingly, when the head protector according to the present invention is mounted on the headgear 10 of a left-handed pitcher, the head protector is preferably mounted on the left portion of the headgear 10.

Furthermore, in order to more securely protect the head of a user, the head protector according to the present invention may be mounted on each of the left and right portions of the headgear 10, or/and may be mounted on each of the front and back surfaces of the headgear 10. In other words, the location at which the head protector according to the present invention is mounted may vary depending on the selection of a user, and thus a detailed description of the location at which the head protector is mounted will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the head protector according to the present invention is not directly and fixedly attached to the headgear 10, but is attached to the outer surface of the headgear 10 via the pair of fastening straps 100 having passed through the fastening holes 202 of the protective panel 200. Accordingly, when the protective panel 200 is damaged or broken, only the protective panel 200 may be replaced, and thus an advantage arises in that maintenance cost may be significantly reduced.

In this case, the pair of fastening straps 100 may be fabricated as a pair of Velcro tapes, and may be fastened to each other in an overlapped structure, as shown in the present embodiment. The pair of fastening straps 100 may be fastened to each other by means of a separate clip or the like, or may be fastened to each other by using a method of tying the fastening straps 100 together to form a knot.

In other words, the pair of fastening straps 100 may be fastened to each other by using various methods, and thus a detailed description of the structure in which the fastening straps 100 are fastened to each other will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention.

In order to reduce the weight of the head protector, a protective panel 200 may be made of polyester synthetic resin. Polyester synthetic resin has low impact absorption capacity because it has a high strength-to-weight ratio but has a low elasticity. Accordingly, when the protective panel 200 is made of only polyester synthetic resin, a disadvantage arises in that there is a limitation on increasing impact absorption capacity.

For example, when a batted ball hits the protective panel 200 and high impact force is applied, part of the applied impact force may be absorbed into the protective panel 200, but most of the impact force may be transmitted along the protective panel 200 and transferred to the head of a user. Accordingly, even when the user wears the head protector according to the present invention, a problem arises in that the user may be damaged to some degree.

In the head protector according to the present invention, part of the protective panel 200 may be made of compressed Styrofoam in order to improve impact absorption capacity. In other words, as shown in FIG. 5, the protective panel 200 may be made of compressed Styrofoam, and may include an elastic pad 210 configured to cover the outer surface of one side of the headgear 10 and to be partially spaced apart from the outer surface of the headgear 10 and an outer cover 220 made of synthetic resin having a hardness equal to or higher than a preset reference value and configured to be coupled to cover the outer surface of the elastic pad 210.

Compressed Styrofoam has a significantly high impact absorption capacity-to-weight ratio. Accordingly, when part of the protective panel 200 is made of compressed Styrofoam, as shown in FIG. 5, advantages arise in that this case reduces the weight of a product while improving impact absorption capacity, compared to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In this case, when the overall protective panel 200 is made of compressed Styrofoam, it may be easily damaged by external friction or scratch. Accordingly, it is preferable to mount the outer cover 220 having a hardness equal to or higher than a reference value, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. When the protective panel 200 includes the elastic pad 210 made of compressed Styrofoam material and the high-strength outer cover 220 as described above, effects may be achieved in that impact absorption capacity is improved and durability is increased.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention.

When an outer cover 220 is closely attached to the outer surface of an elastic pad 210, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, most of impact force is transmitted to the elastic pad 210 when the impact force is applied to the outer cover 220. Even when the impact absorption capacity of the elastic pad 210 is high, it may not be possible to completely prevent the phenomenon in which part of the impact force is transmitted to the head of a user.

In order to further improve impact absorption capacity, the head protector according to the present invention may be configured such that a space is secured between the outer cover 220 and the elastic pad 210, as shown in FIG. 6. In other words, the protective panel 200 includes a plurality of spacers 230 that are inserted between the elastic pad 210 and the outer cover 220, and thus the outer cover 220 may be attached to be spaced apart from the outer surface of the elastic pad 210.

In the case where the outer cover 220 is attached to be spaced apart from the elastic pad 210, when impact force is applied to the outer cover 220, the outer cover 220 primarily absorbs the impact force while being broken, i.e., being crushed into small pieces, and the elastic pad 210 secondarily absorbs the impact force. In this case, an advantage arises in that the impact force that is applied to the head of a user may be considerably reduced.

In the case where the outer cover 220 is made of high-soft synthetic resin, when impact force is applied to the outer cover 220, the outer cover 220 is not broken, and thus the impact absorption efficiency of the outer cover 220 is reduced. Accordingly, the outer cover 220 is preferably made of synthetic resin having a hardness equal to or higher than a reference value so that the outer cover 220 may be broken into a plurality of pieces when impact force is applied.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention.

When impact force applied from the outside is vertically transferred to an outer cover 220, the impact force passes through the outer cover 220 and is directly applied to an elastic pad 210 rather than being transmitted along the surface of the outer cover 220. Accordingly, a problem occurs in that impact force is concentrated on part of the elastic pad 210.

The head protector according to the present invention may be configured such that the outer cover 220 is formed in a plate structure having a plurality of corrugations, as shown in FIG. 7, so that impact force may be transmitted to a more larger area along the outer cover 220 when the impact force is vertically applied to the outer cover 220.

The corrugations are arranged in a zigzag pattern. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 7, when impact force is applied to the vertex of one of the corrugations, the impact force is radially transferred along the outer cover 220 (see the dotted arrows of FIG. 7). In this case, an advantage arises in that there may be reduced the phenomenon in which impact force is concentrated on part of the elastic pad 210.

In this case, when the internal angle α of the corrugations is excessively large, the effect in which impact force is radially dispersed is reduced. In contrast, when the internal angle α of the corrugations is excessively small, the phenomenon in which the elastic pad 210 is stabbed by the valleys of the outer cover 220. Accordingly, the internal angle α of the corrugations is preferably set within the range of 120 to 150°.

Meanwhile, the spacers 230 shown in FIG. 7 are intended to space the outer cover 220 apart from the outer surface of the elastic pad 210. Since the spacers 230 shown in FIG. 7 are substantially the same as the spacer 230 shown in FIG. 6, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a head protector according to the present invention.

A protective panel 200 is fastened to headgear 10 by fastening straps 100. In this case, when the fastening straps 100 are configured to pass through the overall protective panel 200, the fastening straps 100 are exposed to the outside, and thus a problem may occur in that the appearance of the head protector is not aesthetic.

The head protector according to the present invention may be configured such that an outer cover 220 may be detachably attached to an elastic pad 210 so that the fastening straps 100 may be prevented from being exposed to the outside. In the case where the outer cover 220 may be detachably attached to the elastic pad 210, the pair of fastening straps 100 pass through the elastic pad 210 and are fastened to each other and then the outer cover 220 is coupled, as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the fastening straps 100 are covered with the outer cover 220, and are prevented from being exposed to the outside.

Furthermore, when the outer cover 220 is coupled to cover all of the elastic pad 210 and the fastening straps 100, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, there is no need to form fastening holes 202 in the outer cover 220, and thus an advantage arises in that the appearance of the head protector is more aesthetic.

Meanwhile, the spacers 230 shown in FIG. 8 are intended to space the outer cover 220 apart from the outer surface of the elastic pad 210 while detachably coupling the outer cover 220 to the elastic pad 210. This coupling structure has been commercialized in various manners in the art to which the present invention pertains, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The head protector according to the present invention is advantageous in that it provides desirable wearing sensation and is detachably worn on existing headgear, thereby providing economic efficiency, in that it is light in weight and has an aesthetic appearance, thereby providing improved utilization, and in that it has a high impact absorption rate, thereby more effectively protecting the head of a user.

While the present invention has been described in detail above in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and should be defined based on the attached claims. Furthermore, it will be understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains that many alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A head protector, comprising: a pair of fastening straps (100) configured to be attached to an outer surface of one side of headgear (10); and a protective panel (200) configured such that it is seated to cover the outer surface of the one side of the headgear (10) and such that a central part thereof is spaced apart from an outer surface of the headgear (10), and provided with a pair of fastening holes (202) through which the pair of fastening straps (100) pass; wherein the pair of fastening straps (100) pass through the pair of fastening holes (202) and are fastened to each other so that the protective panel (200) is fastened to the outer surface of the one side of the headgear (10); and wherein the protective panel (200) comprises: an elastic pad (210) made of compressed Styrofoam, and configured such that it covers the outer surface of the one side of the headgear (10) and such that the central part thereof is spaced apart from the outer surface of the headgear (10); and an outer cover (220) made of synthetic resin having a hardness equal to or higher than a preset reference value, and configured to be coupled to cover an outer surface of the elastic pad (210).
 2. The head protector of claim 1, wherein: the protective panel (200) comprises a plurality of spacers (230) that are inserted between the elastic pad (210) and the outer cover (220); and the outer cover (220) is coupled to be spaced apart from the outer surface of the elastic pad (210).
 3. The head protector of claim 2, wherein: the outer cover (220) is formed in a plate shape in which a plurality of corrugations is arranged in a zigzag pattern; and an internal angle of the corrugations ranges from 120 to 150°. 